The relationship between subordinates’ moqi and employees’ safety behaviour — a moderated mediation model

ABSTRACT Objectives Based on the social information processing theory and impression management theory, we construct a moderated mediation model to explore how and when subordinates’ moqi affects safety behaviour. Methods A questionnaire study was conducted, using cluster random sampling, to select 841 employees from a state-owned petrochemical enterprise in Chinese as the subjects, data was collected in two stages. Subordinates’ moqi, job satisfaction, team psychological safety, and safety behaviour scales are chosen as measuring tools. Results Subordinates’ moqi has positive effects on safety compliance and safety participation; job satisfaction mediates the relationship of subordinates’ moqi and safety compliance, and safety participation; when team psychological safety is at a lower level, subordinates’ moqi has a stronger promotion effect on safety compliance and safety participation through job satisfaction. Conclusions Subordinates’ moqi can be an effect way to promote safety behaviour, and job satisfaction might be a psychological process in the above relation. Team psychological safety plays a moderating role in this mediation process. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: There is a limit on the extent to which employees’ safety behaviour can be improved through physical factors (such as safety equipment). Soft factors in organizations, such as leadership styles, leaders’ behaviours, and safety culture have effects on safety behaviour. Subordinates who have a state of moqi with their supervisors can implicitly understand the intention and expectation of their supervisors, and ultimately perform behaviours expected by the supervisors. What this topic adds: The positive relationship between subordinates’ moil and employee safety behaviour is discussed for the first time. We uncovered the psychological process of subordinates’ moqi affecting safety behaviour, that is, the indirect role of job satisfaction. Team psychological safety can moderate the indirect effect of subordinates’ moqi on safety behaviour through job satisfaction.